Cartoon Tuesday
Images of characters from some of my favourite animated series, movies, and comic books.
All drawings done in pencil, pen and coloured pencils.
‘Wolf’ from Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
Wolf is a tough, no nonsense 10-year old girl living on the surface. Armed with survivalist intelligence and her trusty stinger-staff (dubbed “Stalky”), Wolf is more than capable of navigating through the post-apocalyptic world inhabited by ‘mutes’. Initially she is distrustful of mutes and other humans, but gradually opens up after befriending Kipo, Benson and Dave.
Human Kind Of
As if surviving life as a human teenager wasn't hard enough, 16 year old Judy Reilly finds out her estranged father is an alien from space (as was told by her upbeat mother, Iris, after Judy wakes up to find her period as flesh-eating blob monster). Along with the help of her geeky best friend Cory, Judy is able to navigate through the surreal trials and tribulations of extraterrestrial adolescence — and discover what makes her both human and alien along the way.
The Wind in the Willows
This beloved stop-motion animation series is based on the characters from Kenneth Grahame’s 1908 book of the same name; it ran from 1984 -1990. It features the timid yet honest Mole, moderate Ratty, strict but well-meaning Badger, and the flamboyant, self-centred Toad. Each episode is its own storyline; some of my favourite episodes feature Toad’s selfish antics of his short-lived obsession with the latest craze (his catchphrase being “It’s the only thing!”), much to the disapproval of his friends. The show’s overall gentle tone and pace makes for quality, quiet afternoon/night-in viewing.
Star Trek: Lower Decks
While most Star Trek series focus on the grand adventures of the captain and senior officers, this animated comedy takes its Starfleet crew into the lesser-known second contact missions — and other second rate endeavours. Welcome aboard the U.S.S. Cerritos, where, in addition to the high-ranking bridge crew, we follow the low-ranking support crew of ensigns: rule-breaker Beckett Mariner, rule-stickler Brad Boimler, enthusiastic medical assist D’Vana Tendi, and quasi-cyborg engineer Sam Rutherford. Mariner’s irreverence undoubtedly puts her at odds with her superiors — especially the captain, who also happens to be her mother.
The Owl House
When oddball teenager Luz Noceda happens upon a portal into another world, known as the Boiling Isles, little did she know it would become a fantastical, life-changing adventure. There, she befriends the sassy, rebellious witch Eda Clawthorne, along with her demon roommate, King. Despite not having any magical powers, Luz is determined to become a witch herself, and serves as Eda’s apprentice. Together, the trio form an unlikely family all the while discovering magic, uncovering secrets, making new friends, and evading the tyrannical Emperor Belos.
Character crossover: Samurai Jack and Miyamoto Usagi
Two samurai characters, two different series. Samurai Jack is an animated series by Genndy Tartakovsky, which follows the adventures of a samurai warrior who is thrown, by the evil demon Aku, into a futuristic world, filled with fun of characters (my favourite being the Scotsman), and challenging foes. The show’s style was praised for its use of minimalism in character design, background, and — on occasion — dialogue. Note there are no outlines to Jack.
Miyamoto Usagi is the main character of Stan Sakai’s comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo, which is set in the Edo period of Japan and has anthropomorphic animals in place of humans. Usagi is a rōnin (a masterless samurai) who hires himself out as a bodyguard while on a musha shugyō (warrior’s pilgrimage). The series has many influences with Japanese cinema, and informative references to the period’s culture and customs.
Milo Murphy’s Law
Milo Murphy is the descendant of the namesake of Murphy’s Law, which states that “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. Despite having a torrent of bad luck and disaster that happens to him and those around him, Milo is optimistic and always carries his trusty backpack which contains just about anything for any given situation. Along with his best friends, Melissa and Zack, Milo’s upbeat outlook and resourcefulness makes for his chaotic life an everyday adventure.